What brings Rogers to NY and Kutza to China?

Johnson Publishing Co. Chairman Linda Johnson Rice and CEO Desiree Rogers are in New York for the annual Ebony Power 100 gala. Don Thompson, president and CEO of McDonald's Corp., is among the honorees.

Michael Kutza, who just wrapped up the Chicago International Film Festival, which he founded, is in China to speak at the International Cultural and Creative Industry Expo. Officially, his talk is on how film can cross cultural barriers and in turn enhance the community.

“I'll be speaking of the things I love the most: Chicago," he said in an email to friends.

Marilyn Katz, the public-relations and political wonk, is in the Middle East visiting Knesset members and Palestinian and Israeli women's leaders. “It's warm and sunny,” she said in an email.

And Pete Giangreco, the Democratic political strategist, was supposed to be in Washington today. He was invited to the White House to see President Barack Obama congratulate the Chicago Blackhawks for their 2013 Stanley Cup victory.

Instead, he's in Chicago to see his wife, Laura Tucker, honored by Personal PAC, a pro-abortion rights political action committee at the Chicago Hilton. Ms. Tucker is on the board of Planned Parenthood Action Fund.